Jan Johnsen: The Spirit of Stone

Jan Johnsen is a professional landscape designer and a principal of the established design/build firm, Johnsen Landscapes & Pools, in Westchester County, NY. She is also an award-winning instructor at the New York Botanical Garden and a contributing editor for Garden Design Magazine. For the last several years, Jan has written the popular garden blog, ‘Serenity in the Garden’ and Facebook page, ‘Serenity in the Garden blog’. Jan was awarded a 2014 Merit Award by the Association Professional Landscape Designers (APLD).

Ever since she worked in Japan as a college student, she has been an advocate of the transformative power of Nature upon our well-being. Her initial experiences of walking through ancient Japanese gardens made her aware of the power that serene outdoor spaces have to calm and refresh us. Jan went on to study landscape architecture at the University of Hawaii and was further influenced there.

Her travels took her back home to New York State, where she worked under a Versailles-trained French gardener at Mohonk Mountain House, learning the secrets of French horticulture and its rigorous, all-natural standards. In 2017 she published her 3rd book – ‘The Spirit of Stone’ a deep dive into the WHY? of using stone within our designed landscapes. Referencing historical precedents of man’s connection and use of this most basic of material she explores the deep relationship and resonance it obviously has and even in a little way within our own gardens we can benefit from continuing on that tradition.

Jan Johnsen: The spirit of Stone – audio only

Sheiling for Deirdre and Naoise

Video recording the two summers I worked on creating the Sheiling for Deirdre and Naoise, atop Beinn Ghlas in rural Argyll. Rarely does a project come along that gives back so much. Set in a stunning location it was a wonderful ‘office’ (mostly it did rain sometimes) to build such a special and meaningful project. Many different aspects added to the fun of bringing it to fruition. This little 10 min video goes someway to detailing what it symbolises and what an amazing experience it was for me.
Sincere thanks to Marc Jeanbourquin for his kind permission to use the music recording.

John Shaw-Rimmington: Nothing is random

20th January 2021 – I had the pleasure to chat to one of the big personalities in the dry Stone Walling World, John Shaw-Rimmington.John as we Scots would say is a well kent face of the stone tribe, a man who does his – ‘Thinking with his hands.’ President of Dry Stone Walling Across Canada he is a real advocate for the craft. His journey into a life of dry stone walling, and building ‘Walls without Mortar’ helps illustrate to the uninitiated the draw and appeal of this most fundamental material and technique. From troubled teen to a magical ability to play about with the craft, his story teaches us something important about searching for your space within that Grand mystery that is elusive to us all.

Finding yourself is often a meandering path, some miss their destination others only realise in hindsight the significant markers along their way that pushed them forward to their true calling. Nothing is random, John heard the silent whispered messages of the rock and stones, drawing him deeper under their influence, a positive relationship that has led him from solid skill with the material to the freedom to explore its artistic possibilities. Full of stone passion he has always been willing and keen to share that with others through workshops, talks and writing. His blog …https://thinking-stoneman.blogspot.com/ is a deeper dive into his work and motivations but there’s nothing like hearing the story from the man himself, enjoy.John can be followed on Instagram at @Drystonewaller

John Shaw-Rimmington: Nothing is random Audio only file

Pieter Schaafsma: The man beneath the stetson.

Pieter Schaafsma: The man beneath the stetson. Founder of the popular Facebook Group Custom Creative Stonework, Pieter is a true stone enthusiast. A multi talented designer and artist he is an advocate for the use of natural stone. With a passion for creating ephemeral stone balances he also enjoys building dry stone walling projects around his properties in Arizona and his Ranch in Southern Utah. He also has a cute wife!

The Man Beneath The Stetson – Audio only

Follow his fine art page on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/backWestart

Norman Haddow: A stove side Chat

Interview with Norman Haddow – Churchill Fellow, DSWA Master Craftsman. Learn more about Norman’s personal journey into the ancient skill of dry stone walling. A fully qualified Botanist he enjoyed a varied early career in Industry in London and Scotland, before transitioning into a life dedicated to ‘building walls without mortar.’ After attending a DSWA training event he has gone on to establish himself as one of the elder pillars of the craft, with some particularly eminent clients. Receiving a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship in 2011 he travelled to Slovenia to research traditional shepherd huts. Still dyking into his 80’s his story is an inspiration to those interested in this most ancient and fundamental craft. To those of us who want to work as long as possible he shows its possible to remain fit healthy and still able to follow your passion. Follow Normans Facebook page where he shares his passion for the craft in …wallsaroundtheworld by clicking the icon below.

.http://wallswithoutmortar.blogspot.com/ SHOW LESS

1 Comment

Norman Haddow: A stoveside chat – Audio only
Norman with an impressive cheek end & equally impressive cheek hair

The Winston Churchill Fellowship – Building? not Walls?

Winston WallingSome memories just stick. My soon to be wife and I were sitting on a plane heading out to Turkey for a seaside holiday in what was then a relatively new tourist destination in 1987. Ahead of us stretched long hot lazy days flopped on the beach topping up our tans, eating, drinking, whiling away the time dozing and reading.

It’s factual books over fiction for me, Danzinger’s Travels was a book I’d heard discussed on the radio it was first on my reading list. A graphic hair-raising account of travelling alone through Asia and on into war torn Afghanistan by Author/photographer Nick Danziger it is a powerful account filled full of daring-do approached with warmth and wit.

Apart from it being a terrific read what I remember most about it was his introduction where he explained how his adventure started. Describing how he sat anxiously in a corridor belonging to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust waiting to be interviewed for a Travelling Fellowship that ultimately funded the trip. Wow! I thought how nerve-wracking & amazing would that be. Perhaps you can imagine my excitement nearly 30 years later when ‘little old me’ was sitting in the exact same corridor awaiting to be interviewed for a WCMT Travelling Fellowship then the thrill when the letter informing me that I had been successful popped through the letterbox.

Various things have delayed my travels but they are finally upon me. Summer 2017 sees me and my wife Jane heading off to the USA & Canada to undertake my research project – ‘the contemporary use of stone and how traditional skills & modern creativity can make a positive contribution to the shared built environment.’

Over the last 30 years I have focussed solely on my own career and worked at developing my stone working skills. The Churchill fellowship is the most brilliant opportunity for me to take some time out to meet other talented members of the ‘Stone Tribe,’ to spend some time with them, hear their thoughts on the craft and see the results of others working in a similar way. Over the course of 5 weeks (not long enough) we are going to be zipping about the USA and dipping our toes into Canada with the hope of seeing lots of ‘Custom Creative Stonework’

My belief is that stonework still has an amazing lot to offer Society and a personally fulfilling creative outlet for those willing to dedicate themselves to it. Along the way I’ll be showing the odd pic of my own work I may even get dusty a few times. I’ve set up a specific page to record the journey – come along join us on our trip of a lifetime…read more.

I’d like to thank the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust for this wonderful life opportunity and of course not least thank the great man himself, Winston who as the picture shows dabbled a bit in the craft – I’m not too sure about his tools or his pointing but good effort!!!

Chelsea Flower Show 2016 – A Hugo Bugg design

Spring 2016 proved to be a long, hard & busy one. Set the challenge of  constructing a series of Basalt stone ‘Mounds’ by rising young designer Hugo Bugg for his 2016 Chelsea Flower Show Garden; it was one of the most difficult projects I’ve created, it proved to be a very demanding but nevertheless interesting build.  The Garden is now on it’s way to be replicated on a public site on the Channel Island of Guernsey. (read more about the garden)

Loch Leven Heritage Trail- Taming ”The Beast”

The Beast

My final contribution to the Loch Leven Heritage Trail is a feature stone sphere with some carved birds upon it, to be sited between the two feature benches I previously installed at the East Brackley viewpoint. This is to be carved from a 5ton block of Indian Galaxy Green granite that I nicknamed ‘The Beast.’  Working this block was a trial in itself, follow the process & challenges on the dedicated blog page – East Brackley Sphere Carving.

Variety is the Spice of Life

One of the things I love about being an artist is the new challenges and opportunities that it throws up, there is very little chance of boredom setting in. Every client has different requirements and therefore each project has a different design solution which gives me plenty of excuses to use a variety of materials & techniques. My latest commission proves the point. Tasked with providing a set of automatic gates for a private client I have designed a scheme that will use stainless steel, kiln formed glass & wood.

DFW gate drawing final

Key to the simple design of the gate is the inclusion of 24 pieces of glass, these are going to be made for me by one of the UK’s leading practitioners of contemporary kiln formed glass, Deborah Moses. I am very excited to be working alongside an artist who produces such fantastic work & am looking forward to seeing how the gate progresses.

Loch Leven Heritage Trail – Revisited

Over the last few weeks I have been busily working up some new designs for a viewing area to be created at East Brackley on the Loch Leven Heritage Trail. Since it’s opening in 2008 the trail has only been 3/4 complete, the final section, from Vane Farm around to Kinross Mill is now being developed to complete the circuit of the Loch

East Brackley Pavilion#

Designed by Edinburgh based Architects, Icosis, the new viewing point Pavilion is placed at the highest point along the trail and offers up stunning views across the wetland areas on the South side of the Loch out over towards Bishophill. My brief was to look at developing ideas for some ‘furniture’ for the area which would incorporate some interpretation. Through the design process this has now simplified down to 2 carved stone benches & a carved sphere decorated with migrating birds that flock to the area. Follow this project on it’s own dedicated page here.. East Brackley Benches

sinuous bench

During the first phase of constructing the path I was involved in creating various artworks along the route, I’m looking forward to the challenge of again contributing to this project.